"Illuminations" at Burning Man 2010 recognized with award by "The Necklace Factory"

Awards, Illuminations at Burning Man 2010, The Necklace Factory - Burning Man 2010 1 Response »
Oct 042010

This is a photo of the award, certificate and medallion, that was presented to me by the "Necklace Factory" at Burning Man 2010 in recognition of my "Illuminations" installation at the Festival.

This is a photo of the award, certificate and medallion, that was presented to me by the “Necklace Factory” at Burning Man 2010 in recognition of my “Illuminations” installation at the Festival.

On the night before the Burning Man festival I was introduced to the folks at the Black Rock City Post Office (they are a real post office with a USPS cancellation stamp that sends and receives mail at Burning Man!).  My assistant, Damo, had made friends with them over the course of several days we had spent putting the installation together.  After making their acquaintance they came as a group to see my installation, and then after a brief while they  began to say to me, “We want you to come into our tent for something.  It will only take two minutes, and then it will last for eight minutes after that.”  I was quite apprehensive about this invitation and kept deferring.  I suspected that they wanted to give me DMT to smoke, since it sounded like they were describing the short acting hallucinogen’s effects, and I was not in the mood for taking a powerful drug like that.  They kept persisting, however, and so I acquiesced at last.

They brought me into a teepee like tent of modest size that was well appointed with oriental rugs, embroidered cushions, antique trunks, and other quaint furnishings that seemed to evoke Sir Richard Burton’s lodgings on an expedition to Arabia.  I thought the DMT pipe was to be produced at any moment, and  was nervous, and so it was to my great relief that they produced an award for me (pictured above).

My understanding is that the Post Office’s legacy is intertwined with something called the Necklace Factory that provided people the facilities to make necklaces to exchange as gifts at Burning Man.  At some point the Necklace Factory started giving awards to their favorite artists at Burning Man.   Every year they create a different certificate and medallion and present it to artists.  The award I received was 173 out of 350.  Damo also received one for helping me with my project.    Since many Burning Man projects involve large numbers of collaborators, potentially many awards are given to single projects.

I am very honored to receive the award.  It is in fact the first award or prize of any kind I have received since I won an art contest when I was in high school – 25 years ago.

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Illuminations at Burning Man 2010

Exhibitions, Illuminations, Illuminations at Burning Man 2010, Past Exhibits 2 Responses »
Sep 082010

“Illuminations” hanging in the Center Camp Cafe at Burning Man 2010

This is documentation of my installation of  “Illuminations” at Burning Man’s “Center Camp Cafe”.  The Cafe’  is one of the primary “institutions” of the Burning Man Art Festival.  Located in the center of  “Center Camp” it is at the heart of the event.  The structure of the cafe‘ is a 250′ diameter dome that stands 20′ tall at it’s apex.  This spacious shelter anchors the western end of the “Promenade”, and as such sits on an axis with the effigy of “The Man” (see map).   In addition to serving coffee, the Cafe’ displays an extensive art exhibition of paintings and sculptures, also there are two stages hosting a continuous cavalcade of music; theater; and poetry.   Not only that but Cafe’ society endlessly amuses itself with juggling, acrobatics, massage, and body painting.  It’s a very popular spot!

View of the Cafe’ taken from the towering pedestal where the effigy of the Burning Man was mounted  (the Cafe’ is the sprawling dome in the center of the photo).

As can be seen in the photos in this blog post, the paintings were hung between the posts that support the Cafe’ dome.  This was a placement of ultimate prominence at the festival and I venture to guess that nearly everyone who attended the festival this year saw the work.   Many people assumed that these were original paintings due to the high quality of the printing, however these were actually framed double sided large format prints on vinyl (standard advertising material).  I chose vinyl for it’s light weight and translucency since I needed something that would emit light through both sides, and not be too heavy.  The frames were essential to give people the sense of looking at paintings instead of . . . um . . . “banners”.  These were hung at precisely the point where the dome’s tension cables connect to the posts (8′) so that the artwork integrated harmoniously with the dome’s architecture.

A total of six paintings were displayed in the show:

Additionally a set of smaller Illuminations framed and mounted on acrylic sheets  were mounted along the perimeter of the dome as decorations in the dome’s alcoves (photos forthcoming).

Many people were crucial in making this exhibit possible.  I am thanking them here.

Here are a couple of panoramic photo-montages of the installation:


Below are a series of photo galleries showing the exhibition during different events and conditions at the cafe’:

“Illuminations” in the Cafe by day.  Notice sunlight illuminating the prints as it streams through the oculus of the dome.

Nighttime photos of the installations

More night photos.  These photos show the ambience of the cafe’ during various performances.

These are photos of an aerialist suspended from the structure of the cafe’.  Unfortunately, I do not know the acrobat’s name, but I am pleased to show her performing in conjunction with my art display.

These photos show the Illuminations in the midst of a waning dust storm with dramatic effects of light and atmosphere.

If you have more or better photos of the pieces and the exhibit please contact me.

Posted by admin at 11:21 pm

The Illuminations at Burning Man 2010

Illuminations, Illuminations at Burning Man 2010 No Responses »
Jul 262010

The Illuminations will be exhibited at Burning Man 2010 in the Cafe’ in Central Camp.  The Illumination Panels will ring the periphery of the dome where they will glow in the “alcoves” that are unique to the domes structure.  In the central structure of the dome, large format framed prints of my paintings ( 6′ x 9′) will hang between the “king posts”.

Drawing showing placement of the prints between the posts of the Cafe’ dome’s central structure.

A little more info about this on my calendar page.

Posted by admin at 1:08 am
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